Ellen (Zouche) Charlton (abt. 1288 - abt. 1345)

ZOUCHE ELLEN Elder daughter of Alan III la Zouche, married [1] Nicholas II Seymour [2] Alan Charlton

[Calendar Fine Rolls EII] 28 September 1314 York. Order to the escheator on this side Trent to deliver to Nicholas de Sancto Mauro and Ellen his wife, first born daughter and one of the heirs of Alan la Zouche, tenant in chief, their pourparty of the lands late of Alan, assigned to them with the assent of Robert de Holand and Maud his wife, younger daughter and the other heir, to wit, the manor of North Molton, co. Devon, and a moiety of the manor of Great Gatesden, co. Hertford, Nicholas having done homage.

[Calendar Fine Rolls EIII] 27 December 1360 Woodstock. Order to Thomas Cheyny, escheator in the county of Devon, pursuant to an inquisition made by him shewing that Alan de Cherleton held for life by the courtesy of England after the death of Ellen, late his wife, the manor of North Molton, co. Devon, except the advowson of the church of the manor, as well as rent in Blake Toriton, co. Devon, a knight's fee in the same town, and the advowson of the church thereof, as. parcel of the said manor, of the inheritance of Nicholas Seymor, knight, son and heir of the said Ellen, who is of full age, and that the manor is held in chief by the service of a moiety of a knight's fee, and by doing suit at the king's court of Langacre in the forest of Exemore on the morrow of the Ascension, and another suit at the king's court of Haukerugge on Friday in Whitsun week, every year, to deliver the premises to Nicholas, as the king has taken his homage and fealty.

The following entry clearly defines the descent of Richard I Seymour from Roger II la Zouche and can only be described as a rare gift to a genealogist.

[Calendar Inquisitions Post Mortem EIII V12] 191. Alan la Zouche, son of Roger la Zouche. Commission of certiorari to Thomas Cheyne, escheator,William Brightelegh, William Servynton and William Luscote to enquire what estate the said Alan had at his death in the manor of Northmolton, and to whose hands the manor has come and who has since received the issues. 25 May, 41 Edward III. Devon. Inquisition taken before Thomas Cheyne, escheator, Willam Brithlegh and William Luscote at Northmolton, Monday after the Translation of St. Edward the King, 41 Edward III. Northmolton. Roger la Souche was seised of the manor, to which the advowson of the church belonged, in demesne as of fee and right, and gave the same to Alan la Souche, his son, and Eleanor his son's wife, and the heirs of their bodies. Alan and Eleanor were seised thereof and received the profits, and had issue Maud and Ellen. Maud married Robert de Holand, and Ellen, Nicholas Seymore. Afterwards Alan died in seisin of the manor and advowson, and of other manors in other counties, in 1 Edward II, and Eleanor was in possession of the manor and advowson for nearly a year after his death. When she died, the said Robert and Maud and Nicholas and Ellen entered into the aforesaid manor and the other manors, as of the right and inheritance of Maud and Ellen, and a partition was made between them, so that the manor and advowson of Northmolton and certain manors in other counties fell to the pourparty of Nicholas and Ellen, who continued their estate therein for nearly 8 years, as the jurors believe, and had issue a certain Nicholas Seymor. Afterwards Nicholas the father died; and after his death Ellen was in possession of the manor and advowson as her right and inheritance for nearly a quarter of a year. She afterward married Alan de Churleton, and they held the manor for nearly 30 years. Ellen died in seisin thereof, and after her death Alan de Churleton held it by the courtesy of England for nearly 15 years, and died in seisin. After his death the king caused the escheator to seize the manor into his hand, and by his writ caused it to be delivered to Nicholas son of Nicholas as son and heir of Ellen, who was in possession for half a year and died in seisin thereof. After his death the king, by reason of the minority of Richard, his son and heir, caused the manor to be seized by the escheator into his hands, and from that time received the issues thereof until by his letters patent he granted the custody of the manor and heir to the lady Isabel his daughter until the lawful age of the heir. The said lady is still receiving the issues.